Tube retainer

Abstract

A retaining clamp for retaining a tube on a barbed connector. The clamp includes a collet, having a first portion sized to fit over a tube on a barbed connector, and a plurality of fingers extending from the first portion for fitting behind the barb of a connector, the fingers having inward extensions at their distal ends for urging the tube against the connector behind the barb. The clamp also includes a sleeve, sized to fit over the collet and to urge the fingers on the collet inwards to retain the tube on the connector. The collet and sleeve are held in position with a ratchet. In addition, one of the sleeve or the collet includes an inward projection for urging the tube against the end of the barb on the barbed connector in use.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A retaining clamp assembly comprising:
 a tube; 
 a connector; and 
 a retaining clamp for retaining the tube on the connector, 
 wherein the connector comprises: 
 a spigot; and 
 a barb on the spigot, the barb having:
 a barb major dimension having a diameter greater than that of the spigot; and 
 a reduced diameter distal end at a leading end of the spigot; 
 
 the tube where retained on the connector having:
 a first outer diameter at the spigot behind the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the spigot plus twice a wall thickness of the tube; 
 
 a second outer diameter at the barb substantially equal to the diameter of the barb major dimension of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; and 
 a third outer diameter at the reduced diameter distal end of the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the reduced diameter distal end of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; 
 the clamp comprising:
 a collet, the collet including a first portion sized to fit over the tube on the barbed connector, and a plurality of fingers extending backwards from the first portion for fitting behind the barb of the connector, the fingers having inward extensions at their distal ends, the fingers being adapted for the inward extensions to pass over the barb at the second outer diameter and to move inward for engaging the tube where its diameter reduces from the second outer diameter to the first outer diameter behind the barb; 
 a sleeve, movable with respect to the collet, and sized to engage over the collet to urge the fingers of the collet inward for the inward extensions to abut the tube behind the barb and limit movement of the collet forwards along the tube, when the collet and sleeve are secured together in relative position by a means for securing the collet and sleeve together in relative position; and 
 the sleeve having a bore sized to receive the tube at its third outer diameter, for urging the tube against the distal end of the barb when the sleeve is secured to the collet in use with the inward extensions of the fingers abutting the tube and limiting forwards movement of the collet, whereby the sleeve having the bore abutting the tube urging it against the distal end of the barb for avoiding an ingress of a fluid between the tube and the distal end of the barb. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bore has a sloped surface. 
     
     
       3. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bore has a sloped surface and is provided on a return on the sleeve, the return having a first portion extending radially inward orthogonally from the sleeve, and a second portion extending orthogonally from the first portion towards the barb, a distal end of the return defining the sloped surface which cooperates with the tube. 
     
     
       4. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the means for securing the collet and sleeve together comprising:
 a plurality of projections on an outside surface of each one of the plurality of fingers on the collet; 
 a hook on the sleeve constructed to hold a position determined by one of the plurality of projections to secure the collet and sleeve together. 
 
     
     
       5. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the hook is on the collet with the plurality of projections on the sleeve. 
     
     
       6. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein four or more fingers are provided on the collet. 
     
     
       7. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the collet and the sleeve are held together prior to use by at least one frangible connection. 
     
     
       8. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is made from plastics material. 
     
     
       9. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the clamp is made from polypropylene. 
     
     
       10. A retaining clamp assembly comprising:
 a tube; 
 a connector; and 
 a retaining clamp for retaining the tube on the connector, 
 wherein the connector comprises: 
 a spigot; and 
 a barb on the spigot, the barb having:
 a barb major dimension having a diameter greater than that of the spigot; and 
 a reduced diameter distal end at a leading end of the spigot; 
 
 the tube where retained on the connector having: 
 a first outer diameter at the spigot behind the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the spigot plus twice a wall thickness of the tube; 
 a second outer diameter at the barb substantially equal to the diameter of the barb major dimension of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; and 
 a third outer diameter at the reduced diameter distal end of the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the reduced diameter distal end of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; 
 the clamp comprising:
 a collet, the collet including a first portion sized to fit over the tube on the barbed connector, and a plurality of fingers extending backwards from the first portion for fitting behind the barb of the connector, the fingers having inward extensions at their distal ends, the fingers being adapted for the inward extensions to pass over the barb at the second outer diameter and to move inward for engaging the tube where its diameter reduces from the second outer diameter to the first outer diameter behind the barb; 
 a sleeve, movable with respect to the collet, and sized to engage over the collet to urge the fingers of the collet inward for the inward extensions to abut the tube behind the barb and limit movement of the collet forwards along the tube, when the collet and sleeve are secured together in relative position by a means for securing the collet and sleeve together in relative position; and 
 the collet having a bore sized to receive the tube at its third outer diameter, for urging the tube against the distal end of the barb when the sleeve is secured to the collet in use with the inward extensions of the fingers abutting the tube and limiting forwards movement of the collet, whereby the collet having the bore abutting the tube urging it against the distal end of the barb for avoiding an ingress of a fluid between the tube and the distal end of the barb. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the bore has a sloped surface. 
     
     
       12. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the bore has a sloped surface formed by a return on the collet, the return extending radially inward orthogonally from the collet, a distal end of the return defining the sloped surface to which cooperates with the tube. 
     
     
       13. The retaining clamp assembly as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the means for securing the collet and sleeve together comprising:
 a plurality of projections on an outside surface of each one of the plurality of fingers on the collet; 
 a hook on the sleeve constructed to hold a position determined by one of the plurality of projections to secure the collet and sleeve together. 
 
     
     
       14. A retaining clamp assembly comprising:
 a tube; 
 a connector; and 
 a clamp for retaining the tube on the connector; 
 wherein the connector comprises:
 a spigot; and 
 a barb on the spigot, the barb having:
 a barb major dimension having a diameter greater than that of the spigot; and 
 a reduced diameter distal end at a leading end of the spigot; 
 
 the tube where retained on the connector having: 
 a first outer diameter at the spigot behind the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the spigot plus twice a wall thickness of the tube; 
 a second outer diameter at the barb substantially equal to the diameter of the barb major dimension of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; and 
 a third outer diameter at the reduced diameter distal end of the barb substantially equal to a diameter of the reduced diameter distal end of the barb plus twice the wall thickness of the tube; 
 
 the clamp comprising:
 a collet, the collet including a first portion sized to fit over the tube on the barbed connector, and a plurality of fingers extending backwards from the first portion for fitting behind the barb of the connector, the fingers having inward extensions at their distal ends, the fingers being adapted for the inward extensions to pass over the barb at the second outer diameter and to move inward for engaging the tube where its diameter reduces from the second outer diameter to the first outer diameter behind the barb; 
 a sleeve, movable with respect to the collet, and sized to engage the collet to urge the fingers of the collet inward for the inward extensions to abut the tube behind the barb and limit movement of the collet forwards along the tube, when the collet and sleeve are secured together in relative position by a means for securing the collet and sleeve together in relative position; and 
 
 one of the sleeve or the collet having a bore sized to receive the sleeve at its third outer diameter, for urging the tube against the distal end of the barb when the sleeve is secured to the collet in use with the inward extensions of the fingers abutting the tube and limiting forwards movement of the collet, whereby the one of the sleeve or the collet having the bore abuts the tube urging the tube against the distal end of the barb for avoiding ingress between the tube and the distal end of the barb.